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Picture being invited to sit next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the United dugout during a pivotal European match. How would you react?

For photographer the lenswoman, this wasn't a hypothetical on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the horizontal rain, she was faced with an extraordinary choice: an ideal but soggy vantage point or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

As the pioneering woman photographer to gain top-division accreditation, remarkable situations were par for the course. She opted for the dugout.

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

Following a goalless first leg in Manchester, the second match in Russia was just as chaotic as the weather. Haroun recalls witnessing rain that severe. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were likely to fail of failing.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he called out, "Are you a bit wet?" before telling her to "Come between Kiddo and myself." She passed the rest of the match there, even if she would have preferred behind the goal for better shots.

After a second 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Defender Gary Pallister, who missed the decisive kick, was left crying into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect back-page photograph.

Preparing her flash, she thought Ferguson would be furious. True to form, the manager glared at her and warned, "If you take that picture, I'll never speak to you again!"

'I Was Picked On Because I'm a Woman'

Regardless of her deep family connections to Manchester United—including family members having served as directors—Haroun's journey as a woman in a overwhelmingly male field was far from easy.

She found it tough to be taken seriously and believed she was frequently "picked on" by security and police as the "easiest target." This came to a head with an arrest at a fiery Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where fan trouble broke out.

"It was me that got arrested because they saw me as the weakest link, I'm a woman," she stated.

Try to Run the Wright Way

Proximity to the pitch came with physical risks. Haroun was once "knocked out" by rocks thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

The hazard also came from the players themselves. Shots from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times left her dazed. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson reportedly quipped, "If you're going to kill a photographer, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

Yet, players could also be accommodating. Before an Arsenal match, she told iconic striker Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He scored, but initially ran the opposite way.

To her relief, Wright remembered, stopped, turned back, and ran towards her with arms outstretched, creating the "ideal picture" she had hoped for.

A Cat Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a known feline enthusiast. Her collection of multiple cats on one occasion grew thanks to an unexpected call from a long-serving staff member at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Informed of an stray cat, Haroun was hesitant—she already had 23 at the time. But, a recognisable gruff voice came on the line and instructed her: "You have to take it!"

Heeding Sir Alex Ferguson's command, she adopted the cat and named her Carrington.